Popularity of U.S. Medical-Use Markets Far Outpaces Federal Policies
July 21, 2019Short of Federal Reform, Medical Cannabis Patients and Investors Need to Think Long to Remain Healthy in Patchworked Markets
July 28, 2019Popularity of U.S. Medical-Use Markets Far Outpaces Federal Policies
July 21, 2019Short of Federal Reform, Medical Cannabis Patients and Investors Need to Think Long to Remain Healthy in Patchworked Markets
July 28, 2019
- In the most mature adult-use cannabis markets with medical cannabis programs (i.e., Colorado and Oregon), patient-saturation rates fell significantly once adult-use sales began.
- With long lags between legalizing medical cannabis programs and adult-use sales, both Colorado and Oregon saw patient saturation rise to 2%.
- Massachusetts, Nevada, and Vermont had significantly shorter time frames between legalizing medical programs and adult-use sales, resulting in peak patient-participation rates roughly half of Colorado’s or Oregon’s.
- Unique regulatory structures for medical and adult-use cannabis sales meant different degrees of incentives for registered patients to remain in medical programs.
- Variables may include: tax rates (and prices), costs of medical card renewals and doctor’s visits, product availability across markets, and purchase/possession limits.
